What else are friends for?

[Kaya]

"Bowl it is then," Holt agreed and watched his friend take off while his eyes glazed over to tell Korith.

Meeting in the Weyr Bowl.

I heard, but thank you for clarifying. See you soon.

Refocusing, Holt saw K'tar in front of him pacing anxiously. "Hold your runners, there," he chuckled. "And hold it in 'til we get there. S'bad to run in this air, don't I know it," Holt complained as he set off for the Bowl from their spot on the beach. It wouldn't take long.

Hail, Viarth. Excited to get out of the smoke? the Blue asked as he winged into the Bowl.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

K’tar laughed, settling in to walk beside Holt. They were going to go to Dragon Ridge, and there wasn’t going to be smoke there, and it was going to be fun!

Excited is very-large-almost-laugh-cause-understatement, Bl— Korith, Viarth replied, settling down next to his bro-friend. Just think, Rukbat will actually look yellow, instead on smoke-present-orange-red.

Viarth looked up, the spin of his blue-green eyes increasing slightly as K’tarHis and HoltKorith’s came walking up the path from the beach.

[Kaya]

Blue sky. Yeah, that'll be something. Korith appreciated Viarth's use of his name. He smiled to hear his friend's style of speech, but names held an importance. Look, there they are.

Holt saw the dragons eying them as they walked up the path and waved. He could feel Korith's amusement at the gesture.

"Hey there," Holt said and gave Korith at pat on the leg. The Blue situated himself for his Rider to get on with greater ease. "See you on the ground," Holt called to K'tar before he climbed up.

And while you're at it, you should give my ridges a good scratch.

Holt laughed from atop Korith. "When we get there."

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

K’tar peeled away from Holt smoothly, crossing to the far side of Viarth so that he wouldn’t be pinned between the two dragons.

Viarth was already shifting, raising his foreleg to provide leverage for K’tar’s vault. He wanted out of this smoke. The latter half of his tail was twitching, quivering with his excitement at the prospect of flying to a place with no smoke.

“Sounds good,” K’tar called back, vaulting up and using the fighting straps to pull himself into place.

Viarth’s muscles tensed as K’tar tied himself in place, then he sprang as close to straight up as he could, launching skyward with immense wingbeats. We’ll follow your choice of destination, Korith.

[Kaya]

Very good then. Let's go here to start- Korith decided, sending a picture of the mountains a few miles outside of the mining camp where Holt's parents lived. It would give them a nice fly to stretch their wings on the way in. Then we can fly straight the rest of the way in.

With a great leap Korith entered the air. He rose up towards the sky, moving south over the jungle trees as he climbed. When he was satisfied he winked between.

blackness

And then evergreen trees and a fresh mountainside. It was cold at their altitude, but would be for the most part pleasantly cool on the ground. That was the nature of the high mountains in the summer. Holt inhaled the sharp, cold air and looked at the main Hold off in the distance. Today he was home, his other home. He was home again for a while.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Viarth circled, waiting for Korith’s destination-image, then followed his friend between.

Emerging over the evergreens and the mountainside was amazing. Despite the cold bite to the air, both K’tar and Viarth inhaled deeply, basking in the feel and scent of air that wasn’t heavy with smoke, even as they likewise basked in the ability to actually see Rukbat yellow, amid a blue sky.

K’tar whooped, a shout of exaltation. Cupping his hands to his mouth he shouted: “Race you!”

[Kaya]

"Give the height some time to sink in. We just moved up several thousand feet," Holt started to say back but he felt the wind ripping his voice from his lips. Shards. No easy way to talk then. Their dragons should be more or less alright. They tended to fair better to altitude changes. Thus was the way of flying creatures. He was probably being overcautious.

Probably. I can manage. Let me know if your head feels off.

Yup. I'm okay. Just the shouting.

Got it. And to Viarth, You're on. To over the Hold? He suggested. Then they could fly on to the camp as a cool down. The Blue pumped his wings in anticipation.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

To the Hold-skies! Forthwith and with all speed! On mark, set, go!

Viarth slammed his wings down, intending to get an instantaneous lead by means of his larger wingspan. However, he’d forgotten one simple fact. Korith was smaller, and thus didn’t have to work as hard to accelerate.

The smaller Blue shot forward just as fast as Viarth, the two of them focused, intent. They traded off the lead a half dozen times, only to end above the Hold at the exact same moment.

That was awesome Korith! We should do it again. Soon.

K’tar threw his arms into the air, whooping, as they slowed down above the Hold. “That was fun!” he shouted, grinning over at Holt.

[Kaya]

The rush and the speed. They lurched ahead of Viarth only to lag back, and race neck and neck towards the Hold. It came out a tie. Holt grinned as K'tar's whoops reached his ears. He was glad some things about them hadn't changed. He gave his friend a thumbs up then returned both hands to grasp Korith tight as the Blue banked towards the mining camp, descending in a wide arc.

I can see the house, Korith announced.

You can see all the houses, your brilliance.

Korith snorted and shook, prompting a shout from Holt. The shocked undercurrent ran back and forth between them in little crackling zips. When it settled it left them rumbling and laughing, respectively.

Korith slowed outside the camp over the road and backwinged to land neatly. Holt slid off and, as promised, went immediately to give Korith's head a good scratch.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Viarth banked after Korith, following the Blue down. Finally, they settled to ground, Viarth touching down a beat after Korith.

Oh, good idea, a head-rub! You should rub mine, K’tarMine.

K’tar laughed and slid off, reaching up to rub the closest eye-ridge as Viarth turned around to bring it into reach. He already felt easier, more relaxed, simply from being here.

“Should we go say hello, then?” he asked Holt, once Viarth had pronounced himself satisfied with the scratching.

[Kaya]

Holt's fingers were tingling from the amount of attention Korith was demanding. He loved the Blue. Viarth needed to invent something to save his fingers though.

"Sounds good," Holt agreed when K'tar rejoined him.

He knew the way. The familiar walk from the gated entrance past the houses, small and practical. He saw at a distance the children playing in the dirt lot, a game of ball like he would have been doing Turns ago. He turned into a cluster of houses, found his, took a breath and knocked.

He waited bashfully by the door whilst shuffling noises and inquiring murmurs came from within.

And then Holt's mother Melinna was at the door. First surprised, then elated. She pulled her son into a tight hug. Holt waited for her to loosen her grasp enough to return the hug lightly. She let him go to step back and take a look at him.

"My boy's home."

"Hi mom."

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

K’tar followed Holt, half a pace behind his friend as they walked through the gate and past several houses. He hung back a little further as they reached the door and Holt knocked. He’d only been here a handful of times, the most recent on Holt’s prior Turnday, and he hadn’t even come to the house then, just picked up Holt’s parents in the field.

Holt’s mother’s appearance and reaction to her son’s presence brought his smile back full force, however.

“Well, I couldn’t very well let him avoid his filial visitation duty,” K’tar commented, stepping slightly to the right so that he was visible.

[Kaya]

"Look at you," Melinna marveled. Her Rider son. She was so proud. She turned her head to see K'tar as he spoke.

"Avoid," Holt scoffed.

"You brought your friend!" Melinna smiled. "...but not that girl?"

Holt winced in anticipation of K'tar's comment.

"But do come in, come in. I want to hear your account of the fiery heroics. The watch Rider has had a regular audience wanting updates." She gestured for them to come in and make themselves at home.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

K’tar grinned broader in response to Holt’s scuff, but he forebore from commenting.

“No, he’s shy about the girl subject, for some reason,” K’tar commented casually as he followed Holt inside the house.

“Of course, he’s also shy about tales of his heroism, so…” K’tar found a chair and claimed it, shooting a teasing grin at his friend. “How have you been, anyway?” he asked, turning to Holt’s mother.

[Kaya]

[permission to finish thread]

"That's my boy," she grinned. Holt wasn't one for too many words.

"Oh, I've been just fine. It's just another fine summer here in Dragon Ridge, we're fortunate for it," Melinna replied as she slipped into the kitchen. "Have a seat," she called from the other room.

The two boys did and Melinna brought out a pie for all of them to enjoy.

"Pie! Awesome!" K'tar exclaimed. Holt smiled and took a fork. His mom's pie was the best there was.